Hand carved honey spoon (British sycamore)

Wood and honey have always seemed to belong together. There's something about dipping a wooden spoon into a jar of honey that just feels right, and it's so much easier than a honey dipper!

Like our honeys, no two of these spoons are the same. Each has its own character, shaped by where it grew and by Amy, who carved it.

She hand carved it from sycamore grown in a farmer's woodland near Tenterden in Kent. It's a small, versatile spoon. I like mine for honey and yoghurt. It's shallow enough for a proper mouthful, but not too big a one, so it's perfect for children too, and makes a lovely 'special spoon' for them to treasure.

A limited edition of 25, made exclusively for Hive & Keeper.

DESCRIPTION
Amy adjusts how she carves each spoon as she goes, working with the wood's natural character and grain, so every one is slightly different. Sycamore is pale and light-catching, and the painted yellow band shows it off perfectly. Amy paints it with milk paint, a traditional mix of milk proteins, lime and earth pigments, building the colour up by hand in four layers: two of off-white, then two of marigold.

17.5cm long

PROVENANCE
Amy is a green woodworker, which means she carves wood that still holds its moisture, using hand tools. It's much easier on the hands than seasoned wood, and it means she can source directly from tree surgeons and woodland management rather than buying pre-cut, dried timber from a sawmill.

SUSTAINABILITY
Made from sycamore grown in a woodland that's been sustainably managed by the same farming family for generations. Being entirely natural, once its useful life is over it can go back to the earth without leaving a trace. From tree to dust.

CARE
Hand wash and store somewhere well ventilated. If you like, re-oil the whole spoon occasionally with flaxseed, hemp, walnut or grapeseed oil.